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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: perch · snap · bank · ruler · calf · tube · stick · suit

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. suit — to fit
  3. tube — a container
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tube — the underground
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bank — for money
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — clothes
  14. snap — to click
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. perch — the fish
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. calf — of the leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com